The second edition of the conference Europe as a Task 2026 opened 5 May 2026 at the Spanish Hall of Prague Castle with Presidents Petr Pavel and Alexander Stubb.
In first opening keynote, President Petr Pavel returned to what he described as the very foundation of the European project, stressing that Europe must remain focused on preserving peace, stability and security on the continent. He underlined that Europe must take on a greater share of responsibility for its own security, strengthen its economic foundations and act with greater political unity in an increasingly unstable world.
President Pavel also spoke about the EU’s ability to act in difficult moments. He mentioned the reduction of dependence on Russian energy after Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, and the need to respond to economic shocks and aggressive trade policies. He argued that Europe’s geopolitical strength also depends on its economy, its technological base and its ability to make decisions more quickly and act with greater unity. He also underlined the importance of multilateralism for countries such as Czechia and Finland. Acting alone is not a working strategy for smaller and medium-sized states. Europe gives them a space to find partners, shape debates and defend their interests. President Pavel praised Finland as an inspiring example of a confident and respected country that knows what it wants and is therefore heard internationally. He also welcomed Finland’s accession to NATO and expressed interest in deeper Czech cooperation with Finland, the Nordic countries and the Baltic states.
As President Pavel said, in translation: “Europe will not be strong on its own. It will be as strong as we make it together. Europe is a task we make every day. A strong Europe is what makes a strong Czechia.”
The second keynote speech was delivered by President Alexander Stubb of Finland. He spoke about the European project as one built on peace, prosperity, security and stability. He reminded the audience that European integration often moves forward through pressure and crisis, and described the EU as advancing through crisis, chaos and eventual compromise. He also described Europe as more than an international organisation, but less than a state. In his view, it is a political space where countries pool parts of their sovereignty in order to find common solutions to common problems. A major part of President Stubb’s speech focused on enlargement and the changing world order. He argued that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the pressure from the East and the changing nature of the transatlantic relationship have made this a decisive moment for Europe. In his words, Europe must listen carefully to the message from the United States: it has to take more responsibility for its own security. President Stubb called for a Europe that both deepens and widens integration. He supported future EU membership for the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova, and said that Europe should also think in new and flexible ways about enlargement. He also argued that Europe should not only ask how it can help Ukraine, but also how Ukraine can help Europe, especially given its military experience and capabilities.
As President Stubb said: “We need to both deepen and widen the EU. Deepen integration and widen Europe. We actually need more Europe, not less Europe.”
The two keynote speeches were followed by a high-level chat between Presidents Pavel and Stubb. The discussion focused on Europe’s security. Both presidents agreed that Europe must look at the world as it is, not only as it would like it to be. President Pavel argued that Europe should focus less on the style of political messages and more on their substance. In relation to the current US administration, he said Europe should pay attention to what is being said about the need for greater European responsibility in security. President Stubb took a similar view. He said that political leaders should not be paralysed by fear and should adapt to the reality around them and also noted that the United States is sending an ideological message connected with “America First”, but that Europe should still look for areas of cooperation, including defence.
The opening presidential session was followed by an expert discussion titled “European Geopolitical Reset with the Economic Security in the Forefront”, moderated by Aneta Zachová from Update Europe. The panel brought together David Müller, Director General for European Union and Foreign Trade at the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Czechia; Maria Demertzis from the European University Institute; Violeta Luca, Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone; and Radek Špicar, Vice-President of the Confederation of Industry.
David Müller opened the debate by focusing on the role of the state in supporting business and investment. He mentioned that Europe is not the centre of the world, but remains one of its most stable and wealthy regions, with strong business potential. According to Müller, governments should not replace business, but should create the right environment for it. He also supported efforts to remove unnecessary bureaucracy and warned that good intentions must now be turned into practical steps.
Maria Demertzis focused on Europe’s investment gap and the need to bring capital back into the European economy. She pointed to large amounts of European money being invested outside the EU and to significant deposits that are not being used effectively for European growth. She warned that Europe often overcomplicates its own solutions and delays necessary decisions. According to Demertzis, this creates a serious competitive disadvantage. She also spoke about the need for scale when Europe deals with the United States and China, and about the problem of European start-ups and talent moving elsewhere when they need to grow.
Violeta Luca brought a business perspective to the debate. She argued that Europe must look at competitiveness through both short-term and long-term measures. In her view, the key questions are what Europe needs to build, harmonise, simplify and defend. Luca also stressed the importance of the single market, predictable regulation and better conditions for investment. She warned that European telecoms are fragmented and that this weakens their ability to scale and invest.
Radek Špicar focused on Europe’s mentality. He argued that Europe’s problem is not only regulation, but also its tendency to save rather than invest and to play too safely compared with the United States. Špicar also pointed to non-tariff barriers inside the single market and argued that these barriers are often created by sovereign states, not only by EU institutions. He warned that Europe’s dependence on China remains serious.